Legends of the DC Screen: A Look Back at the Best DC Comic Book Films
- Shauna Bushe
- Jul 14
- 6 min read
By Shauna Bushe - July 14, 2025
With James Gunn’s new Superman film out now in cinemas, and as DC starting its brand-new universe; now is a good time to look back on some timeless classics and the greatest DC films ever made. With a span of decades on the big screen from Adam Wests Batman (1966) to Christopher Reeves Superman (1978) all the way to Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021), we’ve seen some incredible film making and even more spectacular characters brought to life. It’s far from easy to pick the greatest, but we’re definitely going to give it our best shot.
Constantine (2005) Dir, Francis Lawrence
“Detective Angela approaches John Constantine, a demon hunter, to help her investigate her sister’s apparent suicide. As he digs deeper, he realises that demons are trying to enter the human world.”
Keanu Reeves stars as the infamous John Constantine in this dark, stylish superhero film. As far as the usual DC superhero goes, John Constantine is definitely an outsider looking in. He doesn’t do a lot of things by the book but he's the only one to maintain the balance of good and evil, heaven and hell in a true dark horse style. It also includes Peter Stormare as the devil, a rendition that can never be topped. Sitting at 46% on Rotten Tomatoes is irrefutably criminal, this film deserves a lot more love than it is clearly receiving. Hopefully the sequel set to begin filming soon will reignite some attention.
Aquaman (2018) Dir, James Wan
“Half-human, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry must take his rightful place as the king of Atlantis and prevent a large-scale conflict from breaking out between the underwater kingdom and the surface world.”
James Wan taking on the superhero gig took us all by surprise, but his talents crafted a superhero film like nothing we’ve seen before. The imagery, the colours, the visually immersive concepts are bold, bright and gorgeous in almost every scene. The contrast from surface land to the undersea surroundings, equally breath-taking. And it doesn’t falter even with the characters; Jason Mamoa is solid as Aquaman, a deep character, with many flaws but the growth and development outshines. Above all, Aquaman is an incredible achievement for superhero cinema. Filled with an underwater Indianna Jones vibe, it pulsates with raw emotion, fast action and stunning special effects.
Birds of Prey (2020) Dir, Cathy Yan
“After being thrown to the streets by Joker, Harley struggles to pick herself up. However, when Harley teams up with Huntress, Black Canary and Renee Montoya to defeat a gangster and protect a girl, she finds herself.”
Birds of Prey is a welcome departure from the dark, emotionally heavy DCU films we’ve come to appreciate lately. Instead, we’re dealt a full female cast, who portray female rage and feminism with equal parts crazy and sass. Margo Robbie specifically brings a dazzling performance; her embodiment of Harley Quinn is by far the best we’ve seen yet. Well written, well directed and extremely funny, as it is poignant. One strong stand-alone DC film indeed.
Superman (1978) Dir, Richard Donner
“Scientist Jor-El rockets his infant son, Kal-El to safety on earth. Kal-El is raised as Clark Kent and develops unusual abilities and powers to become Superman who fights for truth and justice.”
The late Christopher Reeves performance as the Man of Steel in incredibly special, it’s almost as if he walked out of a comic book. Timeless, ageless and transformative. Very few actors can pull off a duo performance, but he did it seamlessly. And it doesn’t stop there, with even more beloved characters to make up the cast: Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder and Marlon Brando. All of whom talents we’ve lost. The film as a whole is transcendent, with special effects that work better than most we see today, stunning locations and a story so captivating from beginning to end it feels like magic.
Zack Snyders Justice League (2021) Director, Zack Snyder
“Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince try to bring the metahumans of Earth together after the death of Clark Kent. Meanwhile, Darkseid sends Steppenwolf to Earth with a vast army to subjugate humans.”
Imagining this masterpiece shelved forever, hurts. But at one point in time, it almost was. Until Warner Bros heard the cries of fans worldwide for it to be released. Zack Snyder's vision is immersive, striking and authentic. The 4-hour runtime would make anyone sceptical, but once you dive in, it flies by. Spending so much time with the characters only opens up the story more and deepens its connection with the audience. Fleshed out with big superhero moves, bold choreographed fight sequences and surrounding set pieces that looked totally epic. This is the age of heroes and how they should’ve been adapted in the first place.
Watchmen (2009) Dir, Zack Snyder
“Rorschach, a vigilante, investigates the death of another vigilante and warns his former companions that this might be a plan to kill people like them. However, he is exposed to a much darker plot.”
Zack Snyder, as a filmmaker, is one you can’t forget. His attention to detail is so acute, you’re left with your jaw on the floor. Watchmen is no exception. Significantly with each character, the choice of colour pallet and of course, its villain. What’s more is the depiction of violence, the reflection of the world. Its so raw and enormously way ahead of its time. Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach is the standout performance, full of rage and regret. A hero you wouldn’t normally root for, but he is without a doubt a fan favourite in this project. Lastly, the work from Jeffrey Dean Morgan makes your skin crawl, but that’s how you know they’ve done the character right. Overall, a remarkable film, the impression it leaves won’t ever lose its integrity.
Batman Returns (1992) Dir, Tim Burton
“The evil Penguin wants to take control of Gotham City and uses Max Shreck to reach his goal. Meanwhile, Batman does everything in his power to stop the Penguin while Catwoman has an agenda of her own.”
Batman Returns is more than a superior sequel, it excels in storytelling, character development, whilst also being a cinematic blockbuster. Micheal Keaton returns as the caped crusader, this time with more screentime, enabling him to make the character his own. He’s simply the best version of this iconic brooding character. Michelle Pfeiffer also joins the cast as Catwomen. She steals the movie. As for Danny de Vito, he is both sad, funny and grotesque in equal measure. The three of them together are a powerhouse.
V for Vendetta (2006) Dir, James McTeigue
“In a futuristic, totalitarian Britain, a freedom fighter known simply as V uses terrorist tactics to fight the oppressive society. Evey aids him in his mission to bring down the fascist government.”
V for Vendetta delivers a harrowingly, beautiful vision of rebellion, that feels as urgent today as ever. A knockout of style-meets-substance. Hugo Weaving commands the screen as V. He appears elegant, gentle, yet underneath his mask he is meticulously dangerous. A transcended performance. Whilst V for Vendetta isn’t your usual superhero comic book adaptation, it is a fierce storytelling of fear turning into resolve. Amongst the anarchy, its poetic, smart and pulls no punches. A tremendous film that isn’t nearly talked about as much.
The Dark Knight (2008) Dir, Chrisopher Nolan
“Batman has a new foe, the Joker, who is an accomplished criminal hell-bent on decimating Gotham City. Together with Gordon and Harvey Dent, Batman struggles to thwart the Joker before it is too late.”
The Dark Knight is a tormented piece of cinema that blends together action, grief and is a deep exploration of morality and chaos. It’s a ground-breaking achievement for the genre and because of the spectacle it makes, the questions it asks and the unforgettable performances it delivers, it lingers with you long after the credits’ role. The incredible success is also due to Heath Ledgers extraordinary performance as the Joker. His chaotic, unpredictability and yet humoured sense of whimsy, captivates you immediately. He didn’t just act the part, he became it. Christopher Nolan didn’t just make another superhero film, but a gripping masterpiece that reshapes how we see villains.
The Batman (2022) Dir, Matt Reeves
“Batman is called to intervene when the mayor of Gotham City is murdered. Soon, his investigation leads him to uncover a web of corruption, linked to his own dark past.”
Matt Reeves approach to Batman feels fresh, and even with its lengthy run time of 3 hours, doesn’t become a boring rehash of what we’ve already seen. In fact, it delves deep in to the emotional and psychological aspects of what makes this character tick. And furthermore, taps into the detective side, a side of Batman which is mostly overlooked. The Gotham setting feels haunting and immersive, amplifying its grungy atmospheric cinematography. Its gothic, noir-inspired visuals only help elevate the strong performances and the compelling narrative, contributing to the films overall tone.
Do you see any of your favourite DC comic films? If you don’t, what would you have in your top 10? Let us know on X
